The Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface (CBBI) Program at the University of Notre Dame is an established NIH-funded program, which trains graduate students in a multidisciplinary environment and provides them with significant training in a cross-discipline at the interface of chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. The goal of the CBBI Program is to produce Ph.D. scientists who have in-depth training in the student's core discipline, cross-discipline training to work effectively at the interface, and enhanced interdisciplinary communication skills. The CBBI Program has been successful and has established an outstanding training environment for our Ph.D. students. During the past four years, we have trained 25 students (who were recipients of 41 one-year fellowships, 18 provided by the NIH and 23 by Notre Dame in matching support of this training grant), including 4 underrepresented minorities (URMs). Six trainees have completed the program with Ph.D. degrees, an additional 5 trainees will be receiving their Ph.D. degrees in 2011, and the remaining trainees are on track to complete their Ph.D. degrees. The characteristics of the CBBI Program include: a large applicant pool of highly qualified candidates, a strong record of collaborative and multidisciplinary research, a diverse and strong group of experienced, productive, and federally-funded investigators available to serve as research mentors, a hallmark extended cross-disciplinary research internship outside the mentor's laboratory, training supplementation with multidisciplinary seminars, trainee meetings, and an annual symposium, experienced and effective program administration, mechanisms for continuous evaluation and improvement of the training program, professional development and career placement, a summer research program to attract and retain underrepresented minorities, excellent research facilities, and strong institutional commitment. We propose to continue to train Ph.D. scientists with the skills and expertise to solve complex biomedical problems, regardless of discipline. The University of Notre Dame enthusiastically supports this training program, and will continue to provide a generous fellowship match and additional funds in support of the CBBI Program upon its funding renewal by the NIH. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Cutting-edge biomedical research is highly multidisciplinary, requiring contributions from a diverse group of scientists. The Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface (CBBI) Program at the University of Notre Dame has met this need for cross-disciplinary training and produced researchers with a synergistic combination of scientific skills and expertise, broad knowledge across diverse scientific disciplines, and excellent communication skills. Our goal is to continue to train scientists with the skills and expertise to solve biomedical problems, regardless of discipline.